Non-refillable bottle



(No Model.)

0. G. RICHMOND. NON-RBFILLABLE BOTTLE.

N0. 599,254. Patented Feb. 15,1898.

2 km (a Wm. L $W QJLMMC NllTED warns CHARLES o. RICHMOND, on

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

NONMREFIILLABLE eorTLn.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,254, dated February 15, 1898.

Application filed April 23, 1897.

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. RICHMOND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-Refillable Bottles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to non-refillable bottles, the object being to produce a bottle and stopper so constructed that when the bottle has once been filled and the stopper inserted it can be readily emptied of its contents but cannot be refilled, thus preventing fraud by refilling old bottles and passing them off as containing the genuine article.

The invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a bottle-neck fitted with a stoppering device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the bottle tilted as in the act of pouring out its contents. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring locking-plug, and Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the cylindrical piece containing the valve-seat.

A represents a portion of the body of the bottle; B, the neck, in which, near its lower end, is formed an annular recess Z9, and some distance above same is formed a smaller annular recess 6.

C is a cylindrical piece of glass having an annular recess a on its outer circumference and of the same width as the annular recess h in the bottle-neck. Into this recess 0 is fitted a ring or washer of cork or other suitable material I), that when in position sustains the cylindrical piece 0 in place, as shown. The end of the cylindrical piece is formed solid, but with a hole (Z through its center and hollowed out at its lower end 6. Just above the solid end, but below the cork D, are formed three or more small openings or passage-ways d, and above the cork D are formed a corresponding number of openings or passages f, much larger than the openings d. The internal diameter of the upper portion of the cylindrical piece 0 is greater above Serial No. 633,550. (No model.)

the annular recess 0 than the portion below said recess, so as to form a shoulder or valveseat g.

H is a block of glass of the form shown. and having an annular recess, into which is fitted a ring h of rubber or other suitable material, preferably square in cross-section, and which forms a valve that rests upon the seat g. A small central vertical hole is formed in the block, through which a string Iis inserted and held at its upper end by a wedge. This string passes down and through the .hole d in the base of the cylindrical piece 0, and to its lower end is attached a weight H, preferably of glass and of the same form as the block H, having a central hole, through which the string I passes and which is secured by a wedge, as before described. The lower end of the block H is formed with a series of vertical grooves in order to lessen friction as the block is moved, as well as to allow a free flow of the liquid when being poured out. Just above this cylindrical piece is a spring locking-plug J, also formed of glass and havin g recesses diametrically opposite each other. Into each of said recesses is fitted a spring j, bent outward at its upper end, so that when the locking-plug is forced down into the neck of the bottle the upper ends of said springs, being free to expand, will enter the recess Z) in the bottle-neck and retain said lockingplug in place. In the plug J, on a line with the top of the springs j, are formed recesses 7a, in which are placed small balls L, that are held in said recesses by compressing the springs j as the plug is being inserted into the bottle-neck; but as soon as the upper ends of said springs pass the top of the annular recess b they expand and enter said recesses. The balls L then fall down between the two prongs of the springs and become wedged there, so that it is impossible to compress said springs by any instrument. This block or plug J is also formed with vertical recesses m n, preferably six, the three recesses, on, extending from the bottom to near the top and the other three, a, extending from the top to near the bottom, as shown, so that when the plug is inserted in the bottle-neck all of said recesses will pass over and communicate with the annular recess 1).

The glass block His first fitted with the ring h, and a string I is attached to the block,

then passed through the hole 61 in the base of the cylindrical piece 0. To the lower end of the string is attached the weight H. A cork or other suitable ring D is then inserted in the annular recess 0 in the cylindrical piece 0, and the whole is then by a suitable tool forced into the neck of the bottle until the ring D enters the annular recess 1), into which it expands and thus supports the cylindrical piece 0 in place, the valve h resting upon its seat g and held in place by the weight II. The springs j j in the locking-piece J are then taken by the'thumb and finger and compressed, so as to hold the balls L in the re cesses 7c. The block is then inserted and forced down the bottle-neck until the upper ends of the springsj are below the recess 19 in the bottle-neck. The springs then expand and their upper ends engage with the upper portion of the recess. The balls L then roll down into the springs, as shown, and thus prevent any possibility of the springs being again contracted. A cork M is then inserted in the usual manner.

When it is desired to remove any of the contents of the bottle, the cork M is drawn and the bottle then tilted on one side, as in Fig. 2. The block II then falls forward and causes the valve h to fall from its seat and draw up the weight 11, as shown. The liquid then passes through one or more of the openings a into the central portion of the cylindrical piece 0, and thence out through the openings f into the space N between the cylindrical piece 0 and the bottle-neck. From there it passes through one or more of the recesses m in the plug J, thence into the annular recess Z) in the bottle-neck and out through the recesses 12 in said plug .I, as indicated by the arrows 1. At the same time air is free to enter the bottle, as indicated by the arrows 2.

What I claim is- 1. In a non-refillable bottle an annular recess in the neck, a glass locking-plug, springs fitted in the sides of said plug and adapted to spring into said annular recess in the neck, small balls for keeping the springs expanded, vertical grooves in the sides of said plug, half of said grooves opening at the lower end and the other half opening at the top substantially as set forth.

2. In a non-refillable bottle, two annular recesses in the bottle-neck, a cylindrical glass valve-piece having a valve-seat in the center of its length, openings in the sides of the cylindrical piece, above and below the valveseat, a valve working in said cylindrical piece, a weight attached to the valve by a string, an annular recess in said cylindrical valvepiece, a ring or washer fitting into said annular recess and into the lower annular recess in the bottle-neck, in combination with a locking-piece fitted with springs the ends of which being adapted to enter the top annular recess in the bottle-neck, small balls for keeping the springs expanded and vertical grooves in the sides of said locking-piece half of said grooves opening at the lower end and the other half opening at the top substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 18th day of March, A. D. 1897.

CHARLES C. RICHMOND.

Witnesses:

CHAS. STEERE, EDWIN PLANTA. 

